Massage devices are well known for tactile stimulation and for muscle relaxation. In these massage devices there is not an identical result to that derived from the device according to the present invention, nor do vibratory massage device operate on the same tactile principle as the present invention (which slides material over the body's surface).
There are known methods using feathers and the like for caressing or tickling bodies, but their effectiveness is restricted to the skill of their operators. We know of no mechanical device operating on principles similar to the present invention, nor do we know of any mechanical device specifically intended to perform the function of caressing, tickling, or in like manner tactilly stimulating the body. In the device according to the present invention the mechanical action is programmable, and thus independent of the operator's skills.